Rubik's Cube Notation Explained
By CuberPal Editorial Team · Updated 2026-07-07 · Editorial standards
Quick answer
Rubik's Cube notation names the face you turn: R is right, L is left, U is up, D is down, F is front, and B is back. A letter alone means clockwise, an apostrophe means counterclockwise, and 2 means turn that face twice. Once you know those three rules, most algorithms become readable.
The six face turns
Every standard 3x3 algorithm starts with the six faces: R, L, U, D, F, and B. The letter tells you which face to turn while holding the cube from your current viewing angle.
Clockwise is always from the perspective of the face being turned. That detail matters for back and left moves, where beginners often reverse the direction by accident.
- R: turn the right face clockwise.
- L: turn the left face clockwise from the left face perspective.
- U: turn the top face clockwise.
- D: turn the bottom face clockwise.
- F: turn the front face clockwise.
- B: turn the back face clockwise from the back face perspective.
Prime and double turns
A prime mark means reverse the direction: R' is right face counterclockwise. A 2 means turn the face twice: R2 is a half turn, and direction does not matter because two quarter turns land in the same place.
Most algorithm mistakes come from losing track of primes. Read slowly at first, then chunk triggers like R U R' U' into one familiar movement.
Rotations, wide moves, and slices
Once you learn CFOP, you will see x, y, and z rotations, lowercase or wide moves like r and Uw, and slice moves like M. These are still notation, but they move more than one layer or rotate the entire cube.
Do not rush these. Learn basic face turns first, then add the advanced notation as algorithms require it.
Continue the learning path
Cube fundamentals
Learn the notation, then use a visual solver only when you are genuinely stuck.
Open this topic cluster →Turn this into practice
CuberPal combines a WCA-style timer, AI solve analysis, CFOP lessons, algorithm catalogues, spaced repetition, and a camera cube solver so speedcubing advice becomes a daily training loop.
Download CuberPalFrequently asked questions
What does an apostrophe mean in cube notation?▾
An apostrophe means counterclockwise. For example, R' means turn the right face counterclockwise from the right face perspective.
What does R2 mean?▾
R2 means turn the right face 180 degrees. It is two quarter turns, so clockwise and counterclockwise produce the same final position.
Do I need notation to solve the cube?▾
You can follow visual lessons without it, but notation unlocks almost every tutorial, algorithm sheet, and speedcubing resource. It is worth learning early.